SNC

 The Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr Imran Khan recently introduced the Single National Curriculum (SNC) with an aim to unite the children of the country under the umbrella of a single curriculum.The curriculum is to be introduced in three phases: in the first phase, it will be implemented for Grades 1-5 in the academic year 2021-22; in the second, it will be implemented for Grades 6-8 in 2022-23; and in its third phase, Grades 9-12 in 2023-24. For the first phase, the Federal government has directed all provinces except Sindh to launch the SNC by ensuring its implementation in all public and private schools as well as in religious madrasas.

Vision

One system of Education for all, in terms of curriculum, medium of instruction and a common platform of assessment so that all children have a fair and equal opportunity to receive high quality education. Single National Curriculum is a step in that direction.

Objectives

One system of Education for all, in terms of curriculum, medium of instruction and a common platform of assessment which will ensure:

All children have a fair and equal opportunity to receive high quality educationSocial Cohesion and National IntegrationAlleviation of disparities in education content across the multiple streamsEqual opportunities for upward social mobilityEquity in educationHolistic development of children in the light of emerging international trends and local aspirationsSmooth inter-provincial mobility of teachers and students

Key Considerations

The development of SNC is driven by the following key considerations:

Teachings of Quran and SunnahVision of Quaid and IqbalConstitutional frameworkNational Policies, Aspirations and National StandardsAlignment with the goals & targets of SDG-4Emerging international trends in teaching, learning & assessmentOutcomes based approachFocus on Values, Life Skills Based and Inclusive EducationRespect & appreciation for different cultures & Religions in local and global contextPromotion of intellectual, spiritual, aesthetic, emotional, social and physical development of learnersMove away from rote memorization & Focus on Project, Inquiry and Activity Based LearningDevelopment of 21st century skills including Analytical, Critical and Creative Thinking.Use of Information & Communication Technology (ICT)Alignment with Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)

Educational Inequalities in Pakistan

Pakistan is marred by intricate problems which affect the education of her children. It is easier said than achieved that one curriculum can address all these complex problems. Educational inequality exists in Pakistan not just because students are studying different curricula, are enrolled in private and state schools, are elite and poor, and (those who can afford) opt for higher education abroad, compared to the local education; the reasons for educational inequality lie beyond these aspects.

Poverty is one of the main factors that impedes parents from sending their children to school. Limited income and spending capacity of parents along with unsafe transportation services puts education, particularly of female children, at stake, with girls dropping out of school more than boys. It would be interesting to know how exactly the SNC will result in more educated girls, and reduce the existing gender gap within the education system of Pakistan? The issue of girls dropping out from schools is not because of the nature of the curriculum; as such, it will not be resolved if SNC is implemented in schools. There are cultural barriers, like early marriage for girls, which again keeps them deprived of higher education. If girls continue to get married at an early age, the curriculum at schools will not matter as long as they are not the beneficiaries of it.

The SNC attempts to bring religious neutrality by promoting intra-faith harmony and catering to the needs of students from minority faiths by teaching them according to their religious beliefs. However, gaps in implementation make it a daunting task for the government as not all private and public schools in every province will be willing to opt for the SNC and hence, a strong monitoring mechanism will need to be adopted by the government to ensure the implementation. After the 18th Amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan, the Provinces were given an exclusive right to design their curriculum, syllabus and define their education standards. By introducing the SNC, the Federal Government seems to have breached this privilege of the Provinces and violated the 18th Amendment. The Education Minister of Sindh, Mr Sardar Shah, held this view while explaining why Sindh would not be introducing the SNC, clarifying that the Province has its exclusive right to design and implement its education curriculum, and the SNC of the Federal Government was an unacceptable imposition. The refusal to implement the SNC by the Sindh provincial government also deprives the curriculum from being ‘national’ any longer.

The SNC also violates the right of parents to choose the kind of education they would like to provide for their children. Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Pakistan is a signatory, provides freedom to parents to choose the religious and moral education for their children in light of their own convictions. However, the introduction of the SNC leaves parents with no choice than to let their children study what the government has decided.

In Pakistan, almost 22.5 million children are out of school; to get them enrolled in schools, the capacity of existing schools needs to be increased, more schools are needed, and of course more funds should be allocated to the education sector. The government’s priority should be out-of-school children, as their enrolment in schools is essential to resolve the persisting educational disparities in Pakistan. Once children are enrolled in schools, only then would they be able to benefit from the SNC. Focusing only on renewing a curriculum is not a sound policy, especially when the teachers are not even sufficiently or properly trained to deliver quality education. Teachers’ training is another related aspect the government needs to invest in and work on before assuming that the implementation of SNC will improve the quality of education in Pakistan.

Conclusion

While a single curriculum is in principle a good step towards unifying the younger generation, it is not enough as a strategy to bridge the existing inequalities within the education system of Pakistan. There are several other important issues which need to be dealt with, and addressed by, the government first as they are crucial for the success of SNC. As discussed above, the drop-out rates of girls, out-of-school children, lack of trained teachers and unsafe transportation services need to be resolved. For all this to be taken care of, the government needs to invest more in the education sector and not rely only on a limited number of policies and strategies to overcome educational disparities.

With education becoming a provincial subject under the 18th Amendment of the Constitution of Pakistan, Provinces should be allowed to design and choose curricula of their own choice; likewise, parents should be allowed to choose what type of education their children should benefit from. Finally, reducing poverty itself is a challenge the  government needs to tackle, since many parents cannot send their children to school due to lack of finances, and their children remain deprived of education which gives rise to further educational disparities in Pakistan.

In sum, there are many hurdles which need to be overcome before assuming success of the SNC in Pakistan